1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with a product-spreading hood assembly operable for use with an outlet die unit in order to separate discrete products issuing from the die to prevent agglomeration of the products. More particularly, the invention is concerned with such apparatus, and corresponding methods, wherein a substantially frustoconical deflector is disposed about the die unit to deliver the extrudate to a downstream dryer or other processing device in a separated condition. The invention is particularly useful in the production of high moisture or otherwise “sticky” extrudates normally having a tendency to agglomerate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Extrusion cooking systems have long been used for the preparation of human foods and animal feed products. Broadly speaking, such extrusion systems include an elongated extruder barrel with one or more elongated, axially rotatable, helically flighted extruder screws within the barrel, together with a downstream restricted orifice extrusion die. In typical processing, the feed ingredients are fed into and through the extruder barrel where they are subjected to increasing levels of heat, pressure and shear in order to at least partially cook the ingredients and form an extrudate. This extrudate may be cut or otherwise subdivided at or downstream of the die. Thereafter, the subdivided extrudate is often subjected to post-extrusion treatments such as surface application of fats and drying.
For many types of conventional extrudates, these extrusion systems operate smoothly. However, in certain cases, the food or feed formulas have a tendency to produce very sticky products. In such instances, the extrudates may tend to agglomerate adjacent the die or as the extrudates fall onto a conveyor or other take-away equipment. For example, the high moisture products described in co-pending application Ser. No. 13/626,644 entitled “Production of Engineered Feed or Food Ingredients by Extrusion,” may tend to excessively agglomerate.
There is accordingly a need in the art for improved apparatus associated with a die unit in order to maintain the cut extrudate issuing from the die unit in a separated condition until such time as the extrudates are sufficiently dried or otherwise processed to over come the tendency to agglomerate.